Hylian Secrets
by x-DragonSoul-x
Summary: "'A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage.' That is what I told you when you first took up the mantle of the Hero. Now I tell you this: Behind the darkening clouds of the human heart there always lies a light. Never forget this." In the new perfect world they had created, black clouds appeared on the horizon. "The storm is coming. Prepare yourself."
1. Reawakened

**Author Note: **Ah, here's the moment I've been waiting for. Now to get the friggin' disclaimer out of the way:

**The Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo, in other words, I don't own it. I do however, own various Zelda posters, T-shirts, plushies, and other nerd-tastic merchandise, including a lolly-pop shaped like Link's head that I never ate because I thought it was too awesome, which my mom threw out after she found it in a drawer one day. I was kinda upset after that...**

But anyway, please read, enjoy and review! :3 Hylian Secrets is back with a vengence!

* * *

**_Hylian Secrets_**  
_A Legend of Zelda Fanfiction_

**Chapter One**  
_Reawakened_

It was in Twilight that everything began, and in Twilight that everything ended. Yet here he remained. The gentle breeze that caressed the leaves overhead and the flicker of light through the branches would forevermore be his to behold. But, he thought, he would most miss the heat of the sun. He had long ago surrendered the ability to feel and touch. It was a small price to pay, and not nearly what he deserved.

A pale body embalmed in dark robes lay forgotten in the center of the glade. Through the years, the plants had ensconced it, cradled it, though mysteriously the flesh had not rotted away.

Perhaps it was his curse, his punishment. He was bound to that never-rotting corpse, never allowed to stray far from it or to simply fade away.

But why would he? This must be the Heaven that his people had spoken of: a place of balance, of Light and Darkness. How could he have ever wanted to destroy it?

Power. That was how. He had drank too deeply into the empty promises of others, becoming drunk with ambition and pride. It had never been his Power. All he had ever been was a mere puppet. But he had become addicted to what his puppeteer supplied. And as with all addictions, only too late did he realize how everything was crumbling around him.

He had come to regret the things that he had done under the influence of Power. The people he had hurt. Though he had chosen to relinquish this Power of his own free will, he felt that it had not been enough to atone for his sins. Perhaps that is what kept him bound to this world, unable to move into the next.

But what could he do? He was captive in this glade, unchanging for all eternity. Or so he had thought.

In the fifth year of what he had come to regard as his 'exile' something did indeed change. Just has he was bound to the corpse in the center of the glade, he was bound to the glade itself. A shudder ran through him. He could sense the ripples of intruders in his world as if each footstep were a stone thrown into a calm pond.

Apprehension gripped him, though he did not know why. It was not long before two figures, a man and a woman, infiltrated the glade. The man, tall and strong, led the way, hacking through the foliage with a curved blade. The woman strode forward, a strange gleam in her eye as she spotted the dark mass in the clearing's center.

"There it is."

The woman started forward, and the resident Spirit's apprehension turned into panic. Something was horribly wrong with this woman. A black aura enveloped her, sending chills through him. He could sense a hunger, a lust for power in this aura, different but disturbingly similar to the affliction he had rid himself of long ago. He did not want that woman anywhere near his body.

But he could do nothing to stop her.

She approached the corpse and fell to her knees. A low chuckle escaped from her throat before she said, "Master… we've found your new body."

With a choked cry, she collapsed on all fours. What looked like painful convulsions wracked her body, but she fought the urge to scream. The man who had come with her made no move to give aid.

After several agonizing seconds she succumbed to the pain, but what escaped her lips was not a cry, but a sickly orb of green flame. Having expelled this, she collapsed into the dirt, gasping for air.

The Spirit watched, horror-stricken, as the orb of fire surged toward his corpse and stole its way into what had once been his mouth. What followed was a sudden and excruciating pain, the likes of which he had never felt before. It felt as though his body were being cored out, his entrails carved away, to make room for something new. A new presence. A new host.

With one final cut, his connection with his body was severed. It was no longer his.

Still bound to the earth around him, the Spirit struggled to recover. When sight returned to him, he saw that the black aura no longer surrounded the woman, but now clung to the corpse. He watched as the pale, dead fingers began to twitch, and the head begin to rouse, as if coming out of a long sleep.

And finally, the body, _his body_, slowly pushed itself to its feet of its own will.

The man and the woman dipped into low genuflections before it. "Master," they said together.

At first, the usurper of his body said nothing. He raised an arm, then the other, examining them. The tattered rags dripped from his frame, but he seemed not to care. A disturbingly wide grin creased his face as he continued to inspect what he had just stolen. He gave a quiet laugh before addressing his followers. "Come!" He said in a voice that was his but not his. "We've much work to do."

He wore the same smug smile as he raised his right hand and appraised it with half-lidded eyes. On the back was a black sigil: three triangles, and the top portion once again began to glow with a golden light.

* * *

The evening sun peeked though the many trees of Faron Woods, casting a dappled pattern on the forest floor. Birds had ceased their singing for the day, returning to their nests. The world had become quiet, waiting for nightfall. The clash of metal shattered the silence.

Link clutched the hilt of the Ordon sword, watching his opponent's moves with a trained eye. His instincts as a swordsman told him to charge in and deliver the final blow. Instead, he held his blade at bay. That would not be necessary here.

Before stood Colin, holding his own smaller version of the Ordon sword.

Sweat had gathered on the novice swordsman's brow. He held his blade in both hands, his knuckles turning white. Link slowly advanced and Colin backed away. A branch snapped under his feet and his eyes flashed to the source. Link took this time to swipe at Colin's sword and knocked him off balance. The younger swordsman hastily renewed his grip, having almost dropped his blade.

"Rule number one," Rusl called from where he was seated on a log near the edge of the clearing, "always keep your eyes on your opponent."

"I know, I know!" Colin snapped, refocusing on Link. He held his sword at an angle and stepped back with his left foot, preparing to take another blow. He made no move to advance.

"You're always on defense," Rusl chided. "Try offense."

Casting a brief surly look to his father, Colin cautiously advanced while Link waited. The uncertainty in Colin's eyes grew as the space between them closed. He stopped, and the few charged moments in which a swordsman tries to predict his opponent's intent followed. To strike or not to strike.

Link was fully intent on letting Colin make the first move but the boy stood still, even after the instant when a swordsman's instinct would tell him to strike. Several seconds passed.

"…Well, get on with it!"

Embarrassed by his father's comment, Colin was spurred to action, swinging an clumsy horizontal slash, merely glancing off Link's already positioned blade.

Discouraged, there was a beat of inaction from Colin, and Link made a feint with his feet in order to get a response. Colin hastily brought up his sword to block the nonexistent strike.

"Rule number two!" Rusl called out once again. Irritation flashed in Colin's eyes where his father could not see. "Never give your opponent time to act."

"I know that!" Colin hissed.

"Then act like it."

That put it over, and Colin threw down the sword and sent it spinning across the dusty earth. "I've had enough of this! I forfeit!"

Link straightened his stance and let his arm fall to his side. He'd seen this coming.

"Forfeit?" Rusl stood. "Colin, you-"

"Look, Dad, I've been doing this for five years! And you _still _have to call out the basics in the middle of a spar! I'm no good at this, and its pretty obvious I'm not gonna get any better." He gave a tense sigh. "This is stupid. That hero stuff I managed to pull off all those years ago was a fluke."

Link stayed silent; he had words in mind, but he knew this was something better left between father and son.

Rusl gave a sigh of his own, but not the good-natured kind a father would give when his son was exaggerating. This was the kind filled with exasperation for having to deal with his teenage son's negative attitude on too many an occasion.

Colin took note of the difference and his expression grew harder, even as his father came to kneel beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder. This gesture was barely tolerated.

"Colin," his father began. "True strength isn't measured in physical prowess or skill. It is measured in devotion and perseverance. You know this already; you've discovered it for yourself."

Colin looked away. "Just another lesson that you've have to repeat to me."

Rusl paused, then chose to ignore this. "You may not be a skilled swordsman now, but how will you ever know what you can become if you quit?"

Colin took a deep breath and shrugged off his father's hand. "Save your virtue talk for some other time. I'm going home." Turning, he moodily exited the clearing, kicking the pommel of his dropped sword when he passed it. "G'bye, Link."

"Colin!" Rusl's voice fell on deaf ears. He turned to Link and gave another exasperated sigh. "I just don't understand it. He's like a completely different person."

"He's a teenager now," Link pointed out. "That's normal."

"You were never like this."

"Well, I wasn't normal."

Rusl's lip quirked. He lifted his head and took note of the orange sky above the canopy. "He had the right idea, I suppose. It is getting late." He retrieved Colin's sword. "Shall we finish this up?"

Link nodded and took up his own sword.

Rusl looked down at the blade in his grip, then to Link standing opposite him. A pang of nostalgia washed over his face. "I miss those days…"

Link waited as Rusl limped across the clearing, favoring his right leg.

When Rusl took up his position next to him, Link asked, "Which one?"

"Oh, let's do Kai-Pas. I'm not feeling very agile today."

"Kai-Pas," Link repeated. Both he and Rusl crossed their sword arms over their opposite shoulders, their unused arms hovering horizontally over their abdomens. "Ready?"

The two of them started a series of flowing poses that made up one of the many sword forms that Rusl had used to teach Link the art of swordplay. He had said that these forms were used by the Royal Knights of an era gone by in order to keep one's body disciplined and one's wits sharp.

"So," Rusl said as they swept into the Sun-Catcher's pose, his lips turned up in a playful smirk. "Will you be experiencing the 'joys of parenthood' for yourself anytime soon?"

"Eh?" Flustered, Link fell out of time.

Rusl took note of his reddened face and laughed out loud. "A touchy subject?"

Link regained his composure. "I don't know," he said indecisively. "Ilia and I haven't really talked about it."

"Oh come now, Link. You two've been married for almost three years! It's about time you started a family of your own. 'Uncle Rusl' needs little ones to spoil."

"Are you sure we shouldn't call you 'Grandpa Rusl?'" Link teased.

"Hey! I may have practically raised you but the fact is I'm not that much older than you!"

Link grinned, rolling his eyes. "Whatever you say."

The older swordsman chose to let the younger one's sarcasm slide. They took the Mantis pose, Rusl choosing to keep both of his feet on the ground.

"Has your leg been bothering you more, recently?" Link asked, noticing the way Rusl gingerly shifted his weight. Even after the incident, though they could no longer spar as equals, Rusl insisted on going through battle forms with him every evening. Often he would not be so precise in his footwork, but he managed. Tonight though, he was taking it easier than usual.

He quickly dismissed the question. "Oh don't worry about it. It's nothing a little willow bark tea can't cure."

His leg had always been a sore subject for Rusl.

"And, done." Rusl rose from the pose and took a deep breath. "I feel much better now. Thank you."

"Good for the old bones, isn't it?" Link's face held a wicked smirk.

Rusl chuckled darkly, narrowing his eyes. "They're not that old."

The bowed to each other, the traditional way of ending a form, still wearing their teasing expressions.

"Daddy!" Just then, a little blonde girl entered the clearing. She barreled across the clearing and fell upon his right leg. He winced, and stepped back to stable himself.

"Careful, Serita!" Uli appeared, hastening to catch up with the little girl.

"No. I'm fine," Rusl insisted. Sweeping his daughter up he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Hello, sweetie." He leaned over and gave his wife a kiss. "Hello, darling."

Serita giggled.

"We just came to tell you that dinner is ready," Uli told him.

Link took in the whole scene with an unconscious smile on his face.

"All right." Rusl looked back to Link. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Link roused himself from his stupor. "Yeah." He watched them leave the clearing, then gathered up the bundles of firewood he'd collected earlier and left.

Tossing the bundles in a pile next to his house, he crossed over to the small niche where Epona stood. She contentedly nibbled on the grass at her feet; her tack lay on the post beside her, no doubt Ilia had done this in an effort to make the horse more comfortable. Epona whinnied a greeting as her rider approached.

"Hey girl." Link brushed back her forelock and stroked the small white pattern on her forehead. "Have a nice day?"

She snorted.

"Yeah, I know. The goats were a real handful today." He fingered her velvety ears and chuckled. "Turning into Ilia, aren't I?" Epona nudged his shoulder in response.

She looked past Link and bobbed her head, noticing a new arrival. Link turned. "Colin?"

The boy stood a few paces back, staring at the ground. "Hi, Link."

"Isn't it dinner time at your house?"

"I'm not very hungry." Colin looked up and met Epona's eyes. "Say, Link. I was wondering. If its not too much trouble…. Could I maybe, ride Epona around for a bit?"

Link smiled. He helped the boy onto the horse's bare back and led Epona at a leisurely pace around the clearing. He saw the peaceful look on Colin's face when he closed his eyes and rested his head against Epona's neck. Though he regarded swordplay as a skill he would never acquire, Colin loved riding. The gentle rhythm of the horses stride; he imagined it was like the waves of the ocean.

Several minutes passed, then Link helped him off. He thanked him and left, looking content.

Link led Epona back to her niche. He felt a presence behind him, and two arms gently slipped over his shoulders. "That was very sweet of you, you know," a voice whispered into his ear. "You'll make a good father one day."

Link looked over his shoulder and saw Ilia smiling behind him. "You think?" he asked.

"Mmm." She pretended to reconsider her observation. "Maybe," she teased, pecking him on the forehead.

"How long were you standing there?"

"Awhile," Ilia replied. "And what's this about you turning into me?" she asked with mock scorn.

Link smiled and followed his wife into their house.

The air was filled with a wonderful aroma; Link eyed the pot set over flame.

"It's almost ready," Ilia told him, taking up a spoon and stirring the pot's contents.

Link took a seat at the table, smiling as he reclined. "Good. I've been waiting for dinner all day. I am famished."

To this she responded, "Feet off."

Link groaned and swung his feet down onto the floor. She didn't even have to look.

"Honestly Link, do you think we live in a barn? We eat off that table. I even made your favorite." She drew up a spoonful to test. Dissatisfied, she took down several spices from the shelves and added, "Though it probably isn't as good as the pumpkin soup you make."

Link smirked, folding his arms behind his neck. "You're right, it probably isn't."

She looked up sharply at him, only her smile betraying that she was playing along. She turned back to the soup. "A letter came for you today, by the way."

"Oh?" Link noticed the white envelope that lay on the table and reached for it. His eyebrows raised when he saw the thick disc of crimson wax emblazoned with the image of a bird and the Triforce stamped into it. "The Hyrulian Royal Seal?" he murmured. Slowly, he slid his finger under the lip and took up the letter.

_Her Royal Highness, Queen Zelda Aurelia Hyrule XIII, Regent of Zora's Domain and Sworn Sister of Goron Chieftains, Baroness of Snowpeak and Lady of Light, requests the presence of Sir Link of Ordon, Knight of Hyrule and Hero of Light at Hyrule Castle on the first of the month. You are advised to be prepared to travel. _

_Signed, Tormel, Head of Queen's Entourage_

"I didn't know she had so many titles," Link said quietly.

Ilia had been reading over his shoulder. "Well that's rude," she huffed. "The first of the month is tomorrow. And what does it mean 'be prepared to travel.'"

Link smiled. He thought it was cute the way she got upset. "Don't worry. I'll be back before you know it."

Ilia bit her lip. She turned away and retreated to the kitchen. "The soup is ready."

* * *

The next morning, Link prepared for his trip to Castle Town. He didn't know what kind of request Zelda was going to make of him, so he packed most of his equipment, prepared for anything.

After Link had returned from his journey five years ago, he had made an effort to find everyday functions for the tools he'd acquired along the way; most of them falling into disuse. He'd packed them up in a chest in the basement and there they lay forgotten. He felt a flutter of nostalgia when he opened that chest for the first time in several years.

He found his old Hero's Tunic. Mostly out of curiosity, he tried it on to see if it would still fit. It did, and despite the small scorch marks on the sleeve, earned in the Goron Mines, he decided to wear it for his trip into Hyrule.

He made his way outside, the still glade shadowy in the dawn light. He greeted Epona then went about putting on her tack and packing his saddle bags.

Ilia silently crept up behind him, her brow knit with distress. "Were you really going to leave without saying goodbye?"

Link turned, a small smile on his face, "I knew you wouldn't let me."

She threw her arms around him and they embraced. Then she stood back, her cheek having come in contact with something rough. "Oh," she murmured. "You're wearing it." Her fingers traced over the horse-call charm she had made him years before.

She looked up at him, green eyes still insistent that he not go. She was just about to voice her concerns when Link kissed her. "I love you," he told her, "and there's nothing that could happen that will change that." He parted their embrace and climbed into the saddle.

"I love you too," she said. "Stay safe."

And with that, Link kicked Epona into a gallop, riding past Ordona Spring, past Faron Woods and into Hyrule Field, not knowing what the future would bring him.

* * *

**Author Note:** For those of you unaware of the history of this fic, its actually four years old. Yep, it was four year ago to the day that I posted the original version of this story on fanfiction. I was young and stupid, didn't know what I was doing, and the fic was a bit of a mess. Three years go by, the updates grind to a halt, but I had this motto going _"I will not abandone this story."  
_**  
**So then I just get fed up with it and decide to RESTART the whole fic. Mmhmm. This allows me to get a fresh beginning, rework the details, smooth out the bumps. I've been hard at work at it since the begining of the year.

If anyone is actually bothering to read thismassive wall of text, then I may as well tell you that the old Hylian Secrets is gone, and the new story is right where the old story was, so all my old watchers still have it watched, (that wasn't a shameless ploy, at all!)

**To all my old readers: **(if you're actually still reading) THANK YOU! for giving the rewrite a shot. I aim to please. **And to everyone**, I hope this first chapter interested you enough that you'll take the time to click that "Next Chapter" and read on. ...When the next chapter is actually up that is.


	2. The City Hawk and the Country Mouse

**Author Note: **So much for "back with a vengence"... This is what lazyness, dial-up internet, and ridiculously high schoolwork standards begets. Anyway, on with the story!

Uh, happy Valentines Day? n_n'

* * *

**Chapter Two  
**The City Hawk and the Country Mouse

Link nocked an arrow, sighted the bow, drew back the string and let it fly. The arrow sailed across the field, sorely missing the chosen Kargarok. He grimaced.

This was part of the reason he had chosen to leave so early. It gave him time to re-sharpen the skills that had gone all but unused in the five years since his adventure ended. He knew that the queen had no use for a hero who had fallen out of practice.

Link found his mind wandering, would she look much different? He had not seen her since his Knighting Ceremony shortly after her Coronation nearly half a decade ago, having scarcely set foot in Hyrule since then.

The Kargarok he had been eyeing swept back around, and Link drew another arrow. This time it met its mark, and then in a fury of rage, the winged beast veered in his direction. Link replaced his bow and encouraged Epona into a trot to meet it. She calmly obliged, her composure in the face of the monster surprising even Link. He dispatched it quickly with his sword.

"It's nice to know at least one of us hasn't lost her touch," Link told her, ruffling her mane.

Horse and rider continued this pattern until Link had run out of arrows, confident in his skills once again. They continued on their way and approached the city by its southern gate, where he left Epona. The liveliness of the city almost became tangible as Link crossed the bridge to the south entrance. His apprehension rose.

On a whim, he cast a glance to the moat. What he saw caused him to stop and approach the railing. Had the moat always been that low? No, Link could see the wear and discoloration wrought by the water along the brick walls. The water level was distressingly lower than that mark.

Link had not seen the water that low since the time when the land had been swallowed up by Twilight. Had Hyrule been experiencing a drought? He had no way of knowing, but Ordon certainly hadn't been, and droughts were very rare in the Spring.

He bit his lip and turned away, entering Castle Town.

Colorfully dressed citizens danced through the streets at top speed, accompanied by a muddle of voices and sounds that together created their own symphony. There seemed to be order in their chaos.

But Link had always preferred country life. The noise and haste of the city had never appealed to him. Though he supposed there was a sort of beauty to it all, if only one would take the time to stand back and look.

Soon he felt that he was being stared at and he noticed three young women standing a little ways off. They were gathered in a huddle, gawking at him and whispering to themselves while their boyfriends stood forgotten in the background. One of the girls had purple hair, the other green and the last red. Link's breath caught in his throat and he hastily broke eye contact when he realized these were the same girls who would scream for him when he played the STAR Game all those years ago.

He did not have to try hard to remember what their voices sounded like before his ears were given a painful reminder.

Their earsplitting girlish squeals spread like lightning across the whole market street until everyone was either staring or cheering along with them.

Link was sure his face had turned an unseemly red. He had half a mind to turn and run right back through the doors he came from but he stood rooted on the spot.

It was the tunic. The stupid tunic. Why did he wear the tunic?

There was no doubt in his mind that if he had arrived as a simply dressed man from Ordon, nobody would have recognized him.

As it was…

"Link! I love you!" the purple haired girl, was her name Kili? shrieked. "Let me have your babies!"

The mortified hero blanched as he was swallowed up by the crowd, being tugged from all angles.

The organized symphony of the city gave way to cacophony. Link heard bits and pieces of the things people were shouting to him, some were of appreciation and respect, some were of glory and praise, and some where disorganized squeals of affection.

"So the young knight has returned."

"I heard he can fly! And that he's half-demon!"

"Link! I have a shrine dedicated to you at my house!"

Then a strong male voice cut through the crowd. "Back!" he shouted, "Clear out!"

Link felt a sharp yank at his collar and an arm dragged him all the way through the mob. "Run!" the owner of the arm commanded once they had broken loose. Link followed him as they bolted across the plaza towards the castle.

The man tossed up his arm and ordered the great castle doors be opened ahead of them. The soldiers complied and the two of them ran through unhindered, while the boisterous mob was held back by the quickly closed gate.

The two of them came to a halt once they reached the courtyard. Link turned to his rescuer. "Thanks," he panted.

The man brushed this aside, giving him a stern look. "Have you no sense? Coming into the town dressed that way? Had you not thought of the uproar that would cause?"

"I wasn't thinking. Sorry."

He looked aside, irritated, "Clearly," he muttered. For the first time, Link noticed the thin sword belted to the man's hip. He was dressed in a noble but unpretentious fashion, a plain linen shirt and teal tunic, with long leather gloves and boots. His belt buckle displayed the Hyrulian crest. A military officer it seemed.

The man's dark hair was smoothed back and his eyes were sharp. He was older than Link by several years, but still in his prime.

"You're more trouble than you're worth," the man muttered to the hero. He began walking towards the castle. "Follow me."

Link would have liked for the man to have introduced himself, but had little choice but to comply.

The man lead him across the courtyard, into the castle itself. In its proper state, Hyrule Castle was a grand feat of architecture, its gleaming white spires and flying buttresses lovingly restored from the ruins of the old. Inside proved to be just as grand and ornate, no longer grim and shadowy.

The man stoically led him through many halls and up several levels, Link only ever seeing his back. The hero almost had to admit he liked this treatment better than that of the screeching crowd outside.

They came upon a large wood door, meticulously carved with the shapes of oak leaves and acorns. The man came to a stop.

"Wait here," he told Link, and entered the room.

Link waited. He stood in the empty hallway, the claustrophobic silence around him was suffocating. The corridor was smothered in soft surfaces, regal tapestries draped over the walls and a plush burgundy carpet under his feet, that swallowed up any sound in the air. Nervously, Link tapped the toes of his boots on the floor, grimacing when he saw a chunk of dirt fall away and become lodged into the fibers of the very expensive looking rug. A wave of panic came over him, would anyone notice? should he try to clean it up? The back of his neck began to prickle with icy pinpricks.

After nearly a minute, the door opened again and the man's hawk-like head emerged. His eyes were narrowed, his dark eyebrows drawn together in an irritated expression. Link couldn't be sure if the sentiment was directed towards him or if it was residual from something that had transpired inside. Whatever the case, the man let the door swing open and turned heel, not bothering to wait for Link. "The Queen will see you now."

Link found the room beyond cramped and the air stale. With the exception of the back, all of the walls were concealed behind large bookcases. They were stacked to the high ceiling with thick books and bundles of weathered scrolls until the middles of the shelves sagged.

Two full-length windows on the far wall cast dusty shafts of light into the room and in between hung a colossal portrait of Zelda. It was a nice portrayal, Link supposed, though he did not know what to make of the fact that she was posing with a wolf.

At the foot of the painting stood a solid oak desk where Zelda herself sat. She finished rolling up a scroll and stood upon his entry.

"Link," she said, her face composed but her eyes bright.

Link touched his right fist to his left shoulder and genuflected. "Your Highness."

This seemed to amuse Zelda. "You need not kneel in my presence, Hero."

This shocked Link, but he found his voice as he rose. With a grin he reminded her, "You still have more titles than I do."

A small smile graced her face. "Yes, well, the royal scribes do tend to get carried away with semantics."

Link found himself in awe of the queen. The portrait behind her had obviously been done not long before Link had seen her last, offering a handy comparison. Though she wore no crown nor any elaborate gown meant for official ceremonies, there was a certain regality about her. Her face was wizened but still held an enduring beauty and her eyes reflected maturity and wisdom beyond her scant twenty-seven years.

"I heard you caused quite a commotion in the market earlier," she told him, her eyes alit with humor.

"I'll say," the as-of-yet unidentified man muttered, who had since taken up post in the corner behind the queen.

Link felt a flutter of embarrassment. "I'm not used to all this attention."

"Understandable. I apologize for calling you back to the city when you were no doubt enjoying a peaceful life in Ordon. However I could not think of anyone more suited to assist in the problem at hand. Tell me, on your way into town, did you happen to notice the extremely low water level in the town's moat?"

"I did." Link had had a feeling that the task Zelda had set for him might have to do with that. "Hyrule isn't in a drought, is it?"

"No, it is not; rainfall has been quite average this year. The source of this problem seems to be that for unknown reasons, water has stopped flowing from Upper Zora River."

Link frowned, a knot of tension forming in his gut. If this were true, the consequences could be devastating for Hyrule, whose supply of water came almost exclusively from the Zora River.

Zelda continued. "Things have been this way for several weeks, and we've taken the appropriate precautions by rationing what remains in the castle's reservoir. As the scribes have so eloquently made note of, I hold dominion over Zora's Domain until the Zora prince, Ralis reaches the age of eighteen, and the correspondent who is meant to give me weekly postings is far overdue.

"The Zoras are the protectors of the kingdom's water supply, and it is their duty and their responsibility to report to me any problems thereof, especially of this magnitude. A responsibility they have so far failed to honor."

"Why choose me?" Link did not dare to say more than that. If he did, he knew he ran the risk of sounding like he was unwilling to accept the queen's summons.

A shadow came over Zelda's face. "You have… _experience _in this sort of matter."

The last time the river's flow had been blocked, it had been a part of a curse placed on Zora's Domain by Zant. Link frowned, and lowered his head as the queen's meaning occurred to him. "Do you really think…?" He could not finish his question.

She nodded. "Perhaps."

"…What would you have me do, then?" Link asked finally.

"If they will not come to us, then we must go to them. I would like you to escort an ambassador and myself to Zora's Domain in order to rectify this failure to communicate."

Her proposal caught Link by surprise. "Escort you? With all due respect your majesty, is it really a good idea for you to leave Castle Town?"

Zelda seemed slightly irritated by the questioning of her judgment. "I have already made arrangements. Captain Igneous will act in my stead." She motioned beside her to the man, the one who had led Link through the castle.

Link glanced at the man. A captain? He seemed rather young for the position, despite being older than Link and Zelda both.

The man called Igneous stepped away from the wall, breaking his silence. "I personally am against this proposition."

"I am well aware of your opinion," she neatly cut him off, "…Captain."

Igneous exhaled, as if it were a long-argued subject.

Link could sense that Zelda was not about to change her mind on the matter. "If that is what you really want, Your Highness, then I will escort you to Zora's Domain."

Zelda gave an approving nod. "I thank you for your willingness. We will leave at dawn tomorrow. A room has been prepared for you here in the castle. _Igneous_," she drew out his name, "will show you to it."

Link couldn't help but think that this was somehow a punishment for Igneous because of his and Zelda's earlier conflict of opinion.

Igneous grudgingly headed for the door. "I'm not his minder," he breathed, but his words were not lost on Zelda.

"The Captain will mind his tongue when he is in my presence," she reminded him sternly, but there was a thin chord of mirth in her voice that Link could not quite understand. He bowed briefly before turning to leave, saying, "Thank you for your hospitality."

She smiled at him, "Rest well, Link."

* * *

Link found his quarters unbearably stuffy. The uncomfortably warm air stood stagnant, choked by the layers of thick red fabric that clung to everything. Perhaps esteemed guests were familiar with this kind of décor, but to Link, it seemed he were braving a crimson bog.

It wasn't long before he has slunk out of his chambers. Igneous himself had told him that he was free to wander about the castle, but had added in a sharp undertone accompanied by the shake of a finger, "Don't make any trouble." Link suspected Igneous meant it was preferable if he didn't leave his room at all.

Link had evidently made a poor first impression and the older man seemed to view him as a clumsy pup in need of constant reprimanding. He hoped not to run into him in his wanderings.

Link noticed that the servants and vassals he passed in the hall cast curious glances at him, some stopping completely to watch him as he walked past. Though unlike the townspeople, none of them ever confronted him. Even so, by that afternoon Link was fully willing to pay out every rupee in his wallet for a change of clothes.

He took detour after detour, trying to find some seclusion from gaping mouths and gawking eyes.

Finally he came upon a deserted hallway, lined with open windows, surrounding one of the many courtyards. The garden was strewn with flowering trees, and Link was pleased to see several familiar kinds that grew in Ordon.

When Link rounded one of the corners in the hallways that would take him to the garden's entrance, he spotted a lone figure in earthy toned robes gazing out into the courtyard. Annoyed that his deserted spot was not so deserted, Link was about to turnabout and return to his room when the figure noticed his footsteps and looked his way.

"Link?"

The hero looked back to find the red haired man looking at him curiously, thumb and forefinger poised on the frame of his round spectacles.

"Shad?"

The man's face lit up. "By the gods, it _is_ you!"

The two men approached each other and Shad pulled Link into a brief embrace; Link was overjoyed at finding a familiar face to whom he could freely talk.

Shad chuckled a bit. "I knew you'd be here, old boy, but I didn't expect to run into you yet today. What a marvelous surprise."

"I didn't expect to see you here at the castle at all," Link admitted.

Shad looked quizzical for a moment. "Ah! I suppose it has been that long, hasn't it?" He motioned down to his shin-length robe, smartly embroidered, but practical looking. "I'm employed here now. I'm the head librarian."

Somehow Link was not surprised; he smiled in response.

"I ought to show you the royal library sometime. Wonderful place. More to read than you can shake a fist at."

He sighed briefly. Then, looking at Link out of the corner of his eye, something of a smirk curved his lips. "Also…" he said slowly, urging him to glean his meaning, "I was appointed the ambassador of the Lanayru region."

"_You're _the ambassador?" Link remembered the ambiguous third person that Zelda had mentioned would be accompanying them to Zora's Domain. He knew the queen could probably fend for herself in a dangerous situation but he studied the slight and bookish Shad, who had probably never had any kind of weapon training in his life.

Link smiled, embarrassed. _No wonder I'm going with._ He felt ashamed for having thought this a moment later.

"Well, truly I am only the correspondent," Shad continued. "I converse with messengers from the other territories. Auru bears the title of ambassador." His face adopted a sad smile. "I fear in recent times he's grown quite frail. I was named in his stead to travel to Zora's Domain to address this, ah… predicament."

"I see," Link nodded. "It's been so long, how is everyone?"

Shad's eyebrows raised as a thought occurred to him. "Would you like to accompany me to Telma's tonight? The Group just so happens to be having a meeting. Purely honorary, we've had nothing to talk of for quite some time. This business with the Zoras may spark some conversation though."

"I'd love to."

"Wonderful!" Shad beamed. "Now, in the meantime, would you like to see the library?"

* * *

**Author Note: **I have but one query for you dear readers, before you move on: how do you like the length? My thus-far written chapters (many still in reserve an awaiting uploading) are anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 words, but I'm thinking that might be a bit much to chew through in one sitting. Do you mind the long chapters, or would you like me to divide them up by scenes to provide slightly shorter chapters, with more obviously marked stop/come-back-to-later points? Lemme know, and thank you for your contiued readership. You know what you gotta do now, right? There's a button there that liked being poked more than the Pilsbury Dough Boy. So why don't you just go ahead an poke it? It'll make the button happy. :3 And me too.


	3. Eyes On Fire

**Author Note: **(singing to herself:) "I'm taking it slow/ Feeding my flame/ Shuffling the cards of your game./ And just in time/ In the right place/ Suddenly I will play my ace..." (Notices you) Oh hey, you came back. Cool. Um, let me go put the kettle on, get some cookies. D'ya like chocolate chip...?

Welcome to another chapter of Hylian Secrets. Got a longer chapter for you this time, you guys. Hope its satisfactory.

I also introduce a new character in this chapter, those of you who read the original version of this story (again, if you're still out there somewhere) will recognize him as Derrel. And I cannot stress enough, this name is not the real-world English name of Darrel. Its DERREL. As in Durr-RELL. "Durr" as in "dirt" (such an unfortunate analogy) and "rell" rhymes with "well." Emphasis on the second half! Though I didn't know it at the time, I do think "Derrel" or at least the pronounciation of which is in fact a real name, an American one, but *shrug.*

'Kay, now that we got that out of the way...

The title of this chapter, "Eyes on Fire," is actually taken from a song by the band called Blue Foundation. (The aforementioned song I was "singing.") I encourage you to listen to it if you get that chance (that is, if you don't have crappy slow dial-up internet like myself, which will literally take hours to load minutes worth of youtube video.) because I think it... I dunno, accurately portrays the mood I feel fits Link and Derrel's psychological interaction.

Or at least it might be the impression Link gets from Derrel. I'm not saying if its an accurate impression or one that's completely misled; I'm not giving anything away about Derrel's character just yet. ;) Its also a slightly appropriate title given Derrel's eye color, though his are meant to be more cold and stony. I suppose if they must to be compared to flame, they'd be more smoldering rather than fiery. Still, I like the song, and heck if I had any better ideas for a chapter title.

Enough of this superfluous character trivia. The story must go on!

* * *

**Chapter Three  
**_Eyes on Fire_

Two figures slunk through the darkening streets of Castle Town. Nothing was spoken between them as they made their way down the southern thoroughfare. Shops were closing and few people remained in the once bustling market.

The two turned left and descended the stairs, entering the secluded back alley that led to Telma's Bar.

"Thanks again for letting me borrow this," Link said, throwing back the heavy hood of his cloak. "Worked like a charm."

Shad had not been able to lend Link a new outfit entirely, but he had offered up a decent disguise for the hero. "Think nothing of it." Shad waved his hand in dismissal. The scholar had shed his elaborate robe in favor of something more befitting an evening in the city. "It simply wouldn't do to have you tangled up in another _confrontation._" He gave a sly smile.

Link rolled his eyes. He was already growing tired of being teased about the earlier incident.

Suddenly Shad's eyes lit up. "Oh! Do put your hood back on. Let's see if they'll notice it's you, shall we?"

Link grinned and threw the cowl over his head again. The two of them approached the entrance of the bar. Shad went in, but Link stalled a moment, so that it wouldn't seem like they were together.

"Shad! 'Bout time you showed up, yeah?" Link heard a low female voice say before the door closed.

Shad's muffled voice could be heard, probably excusing his tardiness, and there was a skitter of chairs. After another moment, Link made his entrance.

Inside, the air was laced with smoke, catching the gentle light of the fireplace which warmed the room. The setting was tranquil; there were few patrons in the bar tonight. Save for a man secluded in shadow in the main room, the bar's only occupants filled the back table. Link bit back a smile when he saw his old comrades. He turned away and took a seat at the bar.

"What can I get'cha, honey?"

Link did not reply at first. She did not yet recognize him and he had to wring his hands to regain his composure, lest he give in and voluntarily throw his cover.

"Milk," he said at last, "please."

Telma hesitated, as if she'd thought she'd heard wrong. Then she turned and went about getting his drink. Conversation in the backroom rose in volume for a moment, but Link did not hear what was said. There was a meow from behind the counter and a silky furred cat appeared atop it. Link's lip quirked as he and Louise exchanged knowing glances.

A glass was set before him. "There you go."

"Thank you," Link said, but he did not drink.

He could not see Telma's face through his hood, but he imagined she was waiting for him to make conversation. Finally she said, "Don't be a stranger. Take your cloak off and stay awhile."

Link inclined his head and met her eyes; he could not keep his lips from pulling into a grin.

She looked at him quizzically for a moment and then her face broke into realization. "Oh my…" her palm found its way to her open mouth.

"What?" Ashei asked, taking notice of the bartender's expression.

"Link!" This was all Telma said before she hustled around the counter and rushed to him with open arms. Link rose to accept her embrace but did not expect it when she lifted him off the ground and nearly crushed his ribcage in the process. He coughed when he was released, his hood had fallen back.

"Oh, I knew it must have been you Link!" Telma exclaimed. "Nobody's that polite when ordering a drink! Nobody orders milk at this hour either!"

Ashei and Shad had risen to their feet; Auru remained seated, a walking cane resting against his leg.

Ashei took a step forward. "Link?" When he turned her face softened as she recognized him. She held out a gauntleted hand. "Good to see you, yeah?"

Link took her characteristically firm handshake. "Yeah," he agreed.

Shad stood in the wings, knuckles rising to cover his smirk, a few chuckles escaping. The still seated Auru took notice. "You knew about this, didn't you?" he accused.

"I ran into him earlier today at the castle," the redhead admitted.

"That's right!" Telma's eyes brightened. "I _heard_ you were back in town." Her emphasis was placed in a teasing manner.

Ashei scoffed. "I think the whole city heard that riot."

Link groaned; did everyone know about that?

"Anyway honey, you're just in time. We were about to start dinner. Go on, have a seat." Telma waved him towards the table as she went scavenging for flatware. Link obliged and took up the spot that had once been reserved for Rusl.

Across the table, Auru was putting away the pipe he'd been smoking. "So, what news do you bring us of Ordon?" he asked.

Link could sense Auru's hidden meaning: he wanted to know of his old friend, Rusl. Link's lips pressed into a hard line, and he felt his eyes drawn to the cane at Auru's side.

Auru frowned. He leaned into the table. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Link said at last. "Rusl is fine. Ordon is fine. It's just that, well, there was an accident…."

"An accident?" Shad's eyebrows rose, expecting the worst. Ashei was silent.

It had been about two years since the Ordon village had been set upon by a massive rogue boar. Mayor Bo, Rusl and Link had set out to dispatch it. It proved to be a very wild and violent creature, and the mountains of Ordon were a dangerous environment. Only Link and Rusl returned, the latter having had his leg gored by the beast's tusk. He had recovered, but had borne an ungainly limp ever since. Link's eyes rested on Auru's cane as he recounted the event.

Auru grasped its handle. "I see…."

"He's doing well though." Link added. "Rusl's as sharp as ever. He was even named the new mayor."

"Well that's good," Shad said.

Auru nodded.

Telma approached and set a large roast on the table, along with a loaf of bread with butter and various other edibles. She paused and put her hands on her hips, noticing the silence. "We hardly ever get together like this anymore. Let's not spoil the evening with such gloomy faces."

She sat down and acknowledged Link. "Now honey, how's my girl Ilia? She getting on well? She hasn't written for awhile."

"Oh, um," Link's cheeks flushed. "Yeah, she's doing fine." How was he going to tell them that the two of them were married now?

"Just fine, huh?" Telma laughed knowingly. "How are _the both of you_ getting along?" She winked.

Link was speechless, surprised by his own naïveté. Of course Ilia had told Telma of their wedding via one of her occasional letters. Link felt his face flushing even more.

"What are you two talking about?" Shad asked, his brow raised.

"You're really red, Link," Ashei bluntly pointed out.

"Shall I let them into our little secret?" Telma stage whispered.

It seemed it wasn't up to him to decide how he was going to tell them. Before he could protest, Telma said, "Link and Ilia got married!"

After a flutter of surprise, coherent responses formed.

"Congratulations," said Auru.

"Hahah! I always knew you two would tie the knot one day!" Shad proclaimed.

Ashei remained speechless, a strange expression on her face.

"How long ago?" prodded Shad. "And why hadn't I heard this sooner?"

"Was about a year and a half ago," Link offered, finding his voice.

"And I wasn't invited? I'm hurt!" Shad added with feigned drama. "Though I suppose I didn't invite you to my own wedding."

Link blinked, astonished. "You're married too?"

"Mm-hmm," Shad affirmed, smirking into his glass of wine. "And my son can already recite his alphabet. Such a remarkably smart boy. It's really quite amazing-"

"Oh stop bragging about your kid again," Ashei moaned. She touched her fingers to her temples. "Gods, every single day…."

"Well, pardon me, Ashei, but if you were my son's mother, you would be proud of him too!"

"Of course I would, but I'd be proud of my son regardless of his literacy."

Shad was taken aback. His face had turned red. "I never said-"

"Settle down you two," Auru chided, a chord of mirth in his voice.

After muttering a brief apology, Shad sank back into his chair. A thin smile played on Ashei's lips, she had always been amused by how easy it was to ruffle the scholar's feathers.

Even after this exchange, Link was still in shock. "How long have you been married?" he asked Shad. He could not wrap his mind around this notion. Shad had always seemed like the solitary type, or at least he seemed that way.

Composure regained, Shad said, "Oh, I was seeing Lumina even before I met you. I rarely talked about her though, you know, keeping personal life separate from business."

"So much for that philosophy," Ashei murmured.

Casting her a look, Shad continued. "To answer your question, we've been married four years. My son, Tylen, is now two."

Shad looked like he might add something but Telma cut him off. "Now now, Shad, we all know how much you love your boy," said Telma. "But the food's just sitting here getting cold. So, Auru, if you would." She motioned to the old gentleman.

"Very well." Everyone in turn lowered their gaze and arranged their hands reverently. "Goddesses of our fathers, we give thanks for the blessings you provide. Grant that you may continue to watch over us and come to our aid in our time of need. _Salu._"

"_Salu_," the others echoed.

From the outer room Link thought he noticed the man sitting by himself grunt when the meal prayer was ended, though it was not the traditional ending phrase that he had heard. It had almost sounded to Link like a scoff.

"Now, let's eat!" Telma clapped her hands together.

"Say Telma," Link leaned over to her and spoke quietly. "Is that man there the only other patron in the bar?" He surreptitiously indicated the hooded figure sitting in the shadows with his back turned to them.

"Oh goodness, you're right Link. How rude of me!" Before Link could stop her, she had risen and approached the man. "Sir? Would you like to join our meal? There's more than enough to go around."

Link could not hear his objection, but saw him raise his arm in dismissal.

"Oh, it's not bother at all; we'd love to have you join us! We wouldn't want you to be left all by your lonesome."

Still the man refused.

"I insist." Telma cordially placed her hand on the man's arm. An almost imperceptible flinch ran through the man upon contact, but after another moment's hesitation he rose and followed Telma to the table.

He was seated between Shad and Auru, directly across from Link. Telma set out an extra placing in front of him. "There, now isn't that better?"

The man said nothing. He gave no indication that he had any interest in the meal. In silence, the man pulled back his dark hood, revealing a head of unkempt red-blond hair. A small scratch of a scar was visible near the edge of his left eye. His eyes themselves were an intense shade of red.

Despite Telma's warmness, three at the table observed the newcomer with stony silence. The fourth, Shad, instead chose to reach out his hand in greeting. "Hello there. My name is Shad. What is yours?"

Shad's hand hovered, untaken, over the dinner table for several seconds, causing him to waver. At the last moment, the stranger's hand emerged from the folds of his cloak and returned Shad's gesture. What little of the stranger's arm was visible, Link could see bore well toned muscle. "Derrel," he said quietly.

"Derrel." Shad's face brightened immediately. "A pleasure to meet you. And these are Ashei, Auru, Telma, and Link."

"…of Ordon?" Derrel mumbled.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Yes, this is the famed hero Link of Ordon," Shad confirmed.

"Word gets around, huh, Link?" Ashei's gaze met his over her wineglass.

Link rolled his eyes.

"Where are you visiting from?" Telma asked, now carving the roast. "I like to think I know everyone in Castle Town, but honey, you're a new face."

"The northeastern mountains," Derrel supplied, as the food began being passed around. He took small portions of each dish, but made no move to eat.

"Ah," Shad's eyes brightened. "Didn't there used to be a town in those mountains? It wasn't a part of Hyrule proper though, was it? What was it called? Je-"

"So Link," Derrel interjected, not waiting for Shad to finish. "Is it true you single-handedly fought and killed the shadow general Zant in the Twilight War some years ago?"

Link looked up to find Derrel stoically staring at him from across the table. His red gaze was dark and hard, like garnet. An involuntary shudder ran through him when he observed this penetrating scrutiny. He looked away, taking another sip of milk while he recovered. "Is that what they're calling it?" he asked as casually as he could muster. "Yes, it's true."

"I see…." Derrel muttered slowly, thoughtfully as he rested his lips against his steepled fingers.

"You have quite the peculiar eye color, Derrel." Shad had apparently taken notice of this as well. "Red. Tell me, you don't happen to be a Sheikah, do you?" The scholar's tone rose slightly, as if excited by the prospect.

Ashei cleared her throat, as Auru hissed Shad's name.

Shad's cheeks flared. "Oh. Pardon me. I realize its quite rude to try to identify people based on ethnic stereotypes."

"It's fine." Derrel took a drink, still not having touched his food. "I am of Sheikah blood, but…."

The ambiguous statement garnered the interest of the table. At last, Ashei spoke. "That sounds like it deserves a story."

Derrel sighed. "Please forgive me, but it is not one I wish to tell."

That was the end of it.

While a new subject was being pondered, Telma rose. "This'll be is the last round," she said as she refilled everyone's glass. "We have to go easy on the drink tonight. The water ration could mean trouble for the brewery. Might end up being bad for business."

"They really are rationing water?" Link had not entirely believed it when the queen had told him so. He had no idea the situation was that dire.

"Indeed." Auru nodded. "This is the worst crisis we've had since… well since the assassination attempt on the queen a couple of years ago."

"Yeah, where were you during that?" Ashei accused, poking her fork in his direction.

"Oh give him a break, Ashei," Telma said. "He doesn't have to be the hero in every situation."

"But that's exactly why he's here now," Shad pointed out. "This crisis means that for once, we actually have something to talk about." He seemed a bit more eager than one faced with such a predicament should be. Pride stained his next sentence. "And I myself may have a role to play in its resolution. We have a plan."

Clearly Shad was longing to leave the dusty confines of the tome-filled rooms he was used to and have some adventure. That and the three glasses of wine he'd drunk that evening may have loosened his tongue. Shad didn't seem to be one who could hold liquor well.

However Link was nervous about his eagerness to tell of the operation they were about to embark on. He glanced at Derrel, the outsider to their group, and was unnerved to find the garnet gaze still trained on him, as if it had never left. Link looked away, but the glance's meaning was not lost on Derrel.

Oblivious, Shad went on. "Link will escort the queen and me to Zora's Domain tomorrow, so that we might rectify the situation. Oh, it'll be perilous alright. But nothing _we _can't handle." He hiccupped. "…Excuse me."

"The only peril you should be worried about is falling off your horse," Ashei muttered.

Shad glowered at her.

The conversation deteriorated from there. Before long, Derrel stood up. He thanked Telma for the meal, but the incriminating evidence left on his plate suggested he had not actually eaten. Even so, he slipped a handful of rupees onto the table next to Telma. Ignoring her charitable protest, he slipped his hood back on and drifted out of the bar. As the door slowly swung shut, Link could see a figure waiting outside, a woman dressed similarly in a dark cloak, who approached Derrel as he exited. The door closed and he could see nothing more.

Rays of moonlight shone in the gossamer drapes of the balcony as they swayed gently in the evening breeze. Zelda sat at the vanity in her bedchamber. She combed through her hair slowly, one hundred strokes, as her mother had taught her. _Men must perform one hundred strokes of the blade daily to attain perfection_, she had told her, _women must practice one hundred strokes of the brush. _

Thinking of her mother caused a small smile to form on Zelda's lips, though the old queen's philosophy was somewhat outdated.

But never the less, it was a philosophy she still practiced; all the daily rituals to maintain beauty, which in her mother's eyes was perfection.

Zelda was dressed only in a simple white evening gown of a glossy silk, all her regalia and finery of the day stored away in closets or being washed and mended by the castle staff. The makeup had been washed from her face and her long hair hung loose. This was a state few had seen, and few Zelda would allowed to see.

"It's a beautiful night," the man behind her said.

Zelda set aside her brush and gazed out over the balcony. "So it is."

"The last night I get to see you."

Smiling, Zelda looked at Igneous through the mirror. "I thought you couldn't wait to be rid of me."

"I can't," he teased. "But who else would I have these moonlight conversations with?"

"I've heard Clara the seamstress is a lovely conversationalist."

"The seamstress?" Igneous' eyebrow rose at her joke. "I'm sure she pales in comparison to you."

Zelda rose. She crossed the room to Igneous, placing her arms around his shoulders and looking up into his gray-brown eyes. "Flattery will earn you nothing."

"Who said I wanted anything?" Igneous' right hand wrapped around Zelda, but his left hung at his side. Zelda noticed this. Gently, she began to work up the left sleeve of his white linen shirt; he let her, until a shiny, jagged scar appeared on his upper arm. Zelda knew there would be a similar scar on the underside, where the arrow had penetrated all the way through.

She passed a finger over it, softly asking, "Does it ever hurt?"

Though it had not been Zelda herself who had fired the arrow, she felt personally responsible for this injury.

Two years ago, Igneous had been Lord Captain of the Queen's Royal Guard, and it was during a promenade into the city that an attempt had been made on the queen's life. Noticing the man hidden high on the city walls with a crossbow trained on the queen only seconds before the shot, Igneous had used his own body to shield Zelda.

In the frenzy, the would-be assassin escaped capture, but his attempt at Zelda's life had been thwarted. Even from his sickbed, Igneous had organized a search for the culprit which eventually brought in a group of brigands responsible for the plot to assassinate the queen. However none of them had confessed to the actual attempt, they insisted that that particular man had vanished.

The arrow had skewered through the muscle of Igneous upper arm and despite their best efforts, it had healed badly, leaving his left hand with poor reflexes and dexterity. Though it was not his dominant hand, having one arm unfit for battle rendered him unable to wield over half the weapons essential for a knight's repertoire.

He was still quite proficient with one-handed weapons, but he had been set to be honorably discharged until Zelda herself had extended an invitation for him to become her personal bodyguard. Zelda couldn't quite decide if she had done this out of guilt, gratitude or admiration.

Whatever the case, Igneous had accepted, and the arrangement worked out quite well. Igneous accompanied Zelda almost everywhere, and the two of them had grown quite close, though there were many people who held that even the queen's bodyguard didn't belong in her bedchamber at night. There were whispers throughout the castle about this; the two of them paid the rumors no mind. Let them think what they would of the queen and her guard's relationship.

Igneous hand covered Zelda's as she touched the scar. "It's nothing I can't bear," he said to her earlier question.

"How noble of you," Zelda chuckled, lacing her fingers with Igneous'. "Even in the face of adversity, you put on a brave face for a lady. Isn't that perhaps a little cliché?"

Igneous laughed out loud. "And you're one to talk? Tired of being cooped up in a palace her entire life, the little princess seeks adventure by assigning herself to a diplomatic mission, even though her presence defies logic."

Zelda huffed and quickly turned away from Igneous, retreating to the balcony, clearly not wanting to broach the subject yet again. Igneous was persistent and followed her.

"Honestly, I don't know why you bothered to send for that boy, Link, either. Even with only one good arm, I would have been more than enough to handle this assignment by myself." He folded his arms and leaned in the doorway, a confident smirk playing across his lips. "The only reason your going is because you've grown tired of all this political monotony and now you want a piece of adventure for yourself, is that it? If you ask me, _you're_ the cliché."

Igneous' manner of teasing was similar to a schoolboy on the playground, Zelda observed. It was only by virtue of the fact that he was so far in Zelda's favor that he got away with saying such things to the queen of Hyrule. Even so, a small smile formed on her face as she gazed up at the stars. She'd been found out. "Maybe I am a little cliché then."

"As long as you admit it." He stepped away from the doorframe. "I'll leave you to your rest. Wouldn't want you to start your adventure already tired. Good night."

"Good night, Igneous."

His slow shoe taps echoed out of the main room. His hand stalled on the brass door handle. "And Zelda-"

She looked back.

He bit his lip, his boyish bravado now replaced with honest concern. "I don't mind babysitting your kingdom for you, but promise me you won't do anything reckless. I don't want it to become permanent."

"I promise."

With one more exchange of smiles, he slipped out of the chamber, leaving Zelda by herself.

He hadn't kissed her goodnight; he'd never kissed her at all, despite the kinds of stories the palace servants traded over breakfast, but in his own way she knew he cared. And she knew that she cared for him too.

She returned to her vanity and took up her brush, again trying to achieve womanly perfection as her mother had taught her. She paused when she noticed the pink that had tinged her cheeks. She supposed it had been Igneous' last comment that turned them that color. She looked her reflection in the eye, smiling pathetically. "How cliché."


	4. Sudden Decay

**Author's Note: **Now it gets interesting...

* * *

**Chapter Four  
**_Sudden Decay  
_

As was agreed, Link made preparations for an early morning departure. He rose while the sky was still painted its pre-dawn grey, and it took him little time to gather up his things and leave the posh guest room as he had found it. The night before, he had written letters to Ilia and Rusl, detailing the crisis in Castle Town and the mission he had been given. He left out the bit about Zelda herself accompanying him. It wasn't that he didn't trust them with the information, he just preferred not to run the risk of having the mission's details leaked should his mail be intercepted. Paranoid as that sounded, he also didn't think Ilia would take kindly to the notion of her husband traveling around with another woman.

He gave his love to his wife and informed Rusl of his old friends' well-wishes. Then he handed the letters over to the Postman, who accepted them with an unsettling degree of glee.

He retrieved Epona and made his way to the predetermined meeting place: Castle Town's West Gate. After a brisk trot over the bridge and dwindling moat, Link found Shad astride a large black horse, slumped over in the saddle. He appeared to be dozing off, but contrary to Ashei's teasing from the night before, he managed to stay perched atop the steed.

The black charger snorted as Link and his bay approached, rousing Shad with a start. "Oh, it's you, Link." He regarded him with heavy eyes, readjusting the glasses that had slipped down his nose.

The hero smirked, "I always figured you for a morning person, Shad. I guess I was wrong."

"Oh. I wasn't sleeping. I just woke up this morning feeling absolutely dreadful;" he pressed his fingers into his temples, "and I have the most awful headache. I'm not entirely sure why."

Link's smile became pitying "Well, it was a long night." Link had known better than to drink anything but milk at their outing at the bar the previous night. Shad apparently had not had this foresight.

"Yes…." he drawled.

"Here." Link rummaged for a canteen of water and passed it over to Shad who gratefully accepted it.

As Shad drank, Link studied the horse he was riding. The black stallion regarded Link cautiously with its dark brown eyes. His mane and tail were a gray-to-white gradient and his four pale socks were pristine; he was a well-kept horse.

He was also a commanding animal. While Epona was a draft horse, this one seemed to have been bred for battle. Powerful muscles lay underneath his satiny skin and there was a certain pride in the way he stood. The well-built war horse seemed horribly mismatched for the slight scholar.

Shad handed back the canteen, breathless. "Thank you."

Link replaced the container, mildly annoyed to find it empty. "Are you sure you can ride that horse?" he asked.

"Oh don't fret, I made sure to receive some riding instruction to prepare for this trip. Though this was the only horse they were able to offer me. One of the soldiers' horses; they called him Ashwind."

"Ashwind," Link repeated.

"But anyway, I should hope to prove to be far from useless on this endeavor. You see, I have packed this." With a smirk, Shad propped up an intricately decorated sheath at his side, in which a long knife rested. It looked more like an artifact than a weapon, but serviceable.

Link quirked an eyebrow. "Can you use it?"

Shad only chuckled unconvincingly. Link sighed.

"Forgive me, gentlemen," came a woman's voice. Zelda approached them from behind, leading her own horse, "It appears I am late."

"Oh, no, your highness," Shad hastily remarked once spotting Zelda, "we're early."

The queen smiled. The way she was dressed made her indistinguishable from any common woman. She wore no jewels nor a crown. Instead she wore a beige archer's tunic which exposed her shoulders, and a pleated skirt that ran to her knees. A bow and quiver of arrows were strapped to her back, and a thin sword rested at her hip.

The mare she led was a creamy white, with a well-groomed mane and tail of a soft caramel color. Though dwarfed by the larger Epona and Ashwind, it was clear this was a fine horse.

"Are we ready to depart?" Zelda asked. Her companions nodded. "Excellent."

She swung herself into her saddle and took up the reigns. Already, from the way she carried herself, Link could tell she was an experienced horsewoman. Together, horse and rider were a breathtaking sight.

"You're…" Link trailed off, but had already caught Zelda's attention. He revised what he had been about to say. "Your horse is beautiful."

Zelda looked down, coyly stroking the mare's neck. "Thank you. She is called Shira." Addressing both of her companions, she asked. "Shall we depart?" On hearing the affirmative, she urged Shira into a trot down the cobblestone ramp, Link following suit. It took Shad several attempts to get the proud Ashwind to move, but soon enough he fell in tow behind the other two.

* * *

They encountered few hindrances in Hyrule Field. Zelda proved exceptional at picking off foes at a distance with her bow even before Link could, wounding the hero's pride. Shad merely followed behind, focused on his riding sickness.

So far the mission was going without a hitch, and Link knew he was a fool for thinking that the mission would continue so smoothly. Still, he could hope. The contradicting evidence came not a minute later.

"What's that?" Squinting at the distance, Link could see something reddish lying at the entrance to the rocky pass that would take them to the entrance to the Domain.

As they neared, the object became recognizable. "It's a Zora," Zelda observed apprehensively.

The dull wine-red covering the Zora's body was not blood and appeared quite natural. The color briefly struck Link's memory as being similar to the complexion of the Zora queen Rutela or her son Ralis. The Zora queen was long dead, but it took a few more strides before the thought that it was her son lying in the road to pass from Link's mind.

The red Zora lay face-first on the path, unmoving. Link dismounted and approached. Initial touch received no response, so Link rolled the Zora onto his back. His eyes were closed, and lips slightly parted; Link placed his fingers over them and could feel no air coming out. Putting his ear to the Zora's chest only confirmed his fear. "He's dead."

As Link drew back, Shad gasped suddenly. "It's… It's Onggil," he stammered, pressing a knuckle to his lip. "He was the messenger. The Zora correspondent."

Link turned to him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Shad said faintly. "Look at his armband."

The other two took notice of the band bearing the Zora crest overlain with the Triforce tied around the fallen Zora's arm.

"Could he have been dehydrated?" Zelda asked in a level voice. Onggil's body bore no slashes, bites, or otherwise fatal wounds.

"But he'd only just left…" As Link said this, something caught his eye. He reached out and plucked up a small, black object hidden on the side of the Zora's head, just behind the jaw. He held it up to the light. "A dart."

Apprehension was tangible in the queen's voice. "Poison?"

"Very possible…" Link said slowly. "I think it's clear that someone did not want him to reach Castle Town."

Shad would say nothing more. His face had grown pale and his eyes darted around the cliffs above, fearful of the lingering assassin.

"The blood's settled in his face and chest," Link continued, "and his muscles are starting to loosen again. I'd say he's been here at least two days, maybe three. The ones who killed him are long gone." This quelled Shad's frantic search. Link slipped the dart into his pack; something told him that they should have it appraised further when the time presented itself.

"Why have none of the Zoras discovered him yet…?" Zelda mused.

Link looked to the queen. "Should we take him with us?" Shad seemed positively aghast by this prospect.

Zelda nodded slowly, and Link retrieved his saddle blanket. Gingerly, he wrapped the body in it and gathered it into his arms. "I'll carry him. It's not that far. Lead Epona for me."

Zelda took up Epona's reins, and in silence they completed the last leg of their journey.

* * *

A putrid stench greeted them as they entered Zora's Domain. Shad cried out in disgust as the scent reached his nostrils, causing him to bury his face in the collar of his shirt. Even Zelda had to cover her nose. An ominous knot formed in the pit of Link's stomach when he realized the stench's similarity to the smell of decay.

They did not have to go far before the wall on the right of the entry tunnel gave way to open air; from there, one could view the whole of Zora's Domain. When they gazed out over the ledge, they found that the theory that the Domain's spring had dried up and caused the drought downstream was not at all accurate. There was much water in the Great Waterfall Pool, in fact more than there ever had been. But they could see that the water below them was a sickly ochre color, and seemed anything but natural. Nothing living was visible in the water.

After taking a moment to absorb this, Zelda said, "We need to find out what's happened here." She turned and hastened further into the entry tunnel, Shad followed.

Gently, Link set Onggil's body on the floor, intending to come back after they'd established what was going on.

They emerged at the top of the waterfall and it appeared that the water here too was of the same unnatural composition. They heard a moan, and found a young Zora boy clinging to the shore of one of the small inlet pools aside the waterfall, the dark water churning around him.

As they started forward to help the boy, more voices rang out.

"Look! Another one. Quick, get him out!"

A group of three Zora guards appeared from the land route leading from the throne room.

"Hylians!" one gasped as the group neared.

"It's Queen Zelda!"

The three of them stopped and awkwardly genuflected before the queen.

"Not now, help that boy!" Zelda urged them.

Flustered, they picked themselves up and resumed their previous task.

"He must have fallen in," one of the guards said, as they surrounded the boy. The Zora child looked up and gave them a weak but grateful nod. The three guards carefully pulled the boy out by his arms, and one of them rushed in to pat him down with a towel he'd produced from his satchel. Their wariness of the water was apparent.

The part of the boy that had been submerged was now of an ashy pallor, and black lines ran in familiar patterns all along his body. Link bit his lip, a strange sensation coursing through him.

Satisfied that the boy was completely dried, one of the guards scooped up the boy and ran off. The other two remained, giving their attention to the three Hylians.

"Your Highness," one of them said, crossing an arm over his chest and bowing slightly, "with all due respect, what are you doing here? It's… not safe at the moment."

"I can see that now," she mumbled, almost to herself. "Please, if you would, I would like to speak to Ralis."

A look of hesitation passed between the two Zora guards. "…Follow us."

As they did, Zelda grasped Link's arm and whispered to him, "Did you see them?"

Link nodded, swallowing. "Marks of Twilight."

Their Zora guides led them to a chamber carved into the rock of the Domain. Inside they found that the population of Zoras was still quite intact, though this knowledge was not as comforting as they may have hoped it would be.

Dozens of Zoras lay on makeshift sickbeds on the floor, all displaying the same pale complexion and black designs that they had seen on the boy, to varying degrees. They dwarfed the number of healthy Zoras, who were tending to the sick or miserably curled up next to a loved one.

One of the seemingly unaffected stood near the center of the room, talking to a middle-aged Zora woman in hushed tones. The woman, her head fins weighed down with eclectic charms and a homely green shawl wrapped around her shoulders, fussed over the young Zora man, placing the back of her hand to his forehead. This gesture was gently but swiftly snatched up and redirected by the young man, followed by words spoken in hasty confidence. Though hesitant, the woman let her hand fall away.

The young man wore silver bangles and a blue silk mantle that draped over his left half. The guards approached him.

Likewise to Zelda, they knelt reverently and waited to be acknowledged. The Zora prince waved his hand, obviously not caring for reverence.

He noticed the three before they were announced, and his eyes widened. "Zelda? No; why are you…?" He was like a child whose shame had been discovered by his mother. "We sent a messenger! He was to tell you all to stay away!"

"The messenger never reached us," Zelda informed him. "We found him dead outside the Domain."

Ralis looked stricken. "Onggil's dead…?" His two guards, likewise looked shaken.

"We suspect foul play," Zelda added. This did not help to console them.

In a softer tone, Link told them, "We brought his body with us. He's still in the entrance tunnel."

They exchanged glances, and Ralis nodded to his guards; they rushed off.

Shad had been taking in the atmosphere of the makeshift infirmary. Horror-stricken, he turned to the prince and asked, "_What_ has happened here?"

For a moment, Ralis was silent, biting his lip. "This isn't a good place to talk," he said at last. "Come with me."


End file.
